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  • Station name change: Foggy Bottom and Smithsonian

  • Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.
Discussion related to DC area passenger rail services from Northern Virginia to Baltimore, MD. Includes Light Rail and Baltimore Subway.

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 #1376817  by JDC
 
I just received a questionnaire from Metro via its Amplify community seeking my input about adding additional 'sub' names to Smithsonian and Foggy Bottom. For Smithsonian, Metro is considering adding "National Mall" underneath in smaller, thin font. For Foggy Bottom-GWU, they're considering adding "Kennedy Center" underneath in smaller, thin font. I understand adding "National Mall", which I think fits Metro's criteria, but I disagree about adding anything else to Foggy Bottom.
 #1376886  by MACTRAXX
 
JDC:

I agree with adding "National Mall" to the Smithsonian Station title remembering that station is a prime destination
for tourists visiting Washington especially since it literally serves the National Mall directly.

In the case of Foggy Bottom-GWU I also will agree about not adding "Kennedy Center" to the station name.
Are there directional exit signs for the Kennedy Center already there? If not they could be added to direct riders
to the closest exit and include directions from the station. One of Metro's better features are the area maps that
are posted at each station showing where prime attractions are and where to walk to them.

I would rather not see a established station name changed - but if it serves a prime destination point an addition
to the name is definitely the way to go here. A name change that confuses riders would be a problem...

MACTRAXX
 #1376907  by Sand Box John
 
To me a more logical renaming of Smithsonian would be "National Mall" with 12th Street in the smaller font.

Two other stations (L'Enfant Plaza and Archives) are shorter walks to other Smithsonian museums along the Mall.

Adding "Kennedy Center" in the smaller font I have no issues with.
 #1376940  by JDC
 
MACTRAXX wrote:JDC:

I agree with adding "National Mall" to the Smithsonian Station title remembering that station is a prime destination
for tourists visiting Washington especially since it literally serves the National Mall directly.

In the case of Foggy Bottom-GWU I also will agree about not adding "Kennedy Center" to the station name.
Are there directional exit signs for the Kennedy Center already there? If not they could be added to direct riders
to the closest exit and include directions from the station. One of Metro's better features are the area maps that
are posted at each station showing where prime attractions are and where to walk to them.

I would rather not see a established station name changed - but if it serves a prime destination point an addition
to the name is definitely the way to go here. A name change that confuses riders would be a problem...

MACTRAXX
There is a sign outside Foggy Bottom indicating that is where the free shuttle bus to the Kennedy Center stops. Because of the mass of highways surrounding the center, it is not really walkable from the Foggy Bottom stop. So, people either drive, take a taxi/uber, or use the shuttle bus.
 #1376967  by Chris Brown
 
Honestly I would replace the Smithsonian name with "National Mall" with "Smithsonian" in small letters. The reason I would do this is because the Smithsonian stop is really more for tourists than anyone else. While people coming from all over the country and the world will know what "national mall" means.. they may not know what "Smithsonian" means. So, the stop should really just be called "National Mall".

For Foggy Bottom.. I think "Kennedy Center - GMU" would make more sense than Foggy Bottom. Again.. because of tourists. It makes more sense to name the stations based on their nearest important landmark. It makes the system easier to navigate and its good for locals because we have less confused tourists to deal with.
 #1376972  by JDC
 
Chris Brown wrote:Honestly I would replace the Smithsonian name with "National Mall" with "Smithsonian" in small letters. The reason I would do this is because the Smithsonian stop is really more for tourists than anyone else. While people coming from all over the country and the world will know what "national mall" means.. they may not know what "Smithsonian" means. So, the stop should really just be called "National Mall".

For Foggy Bottom.. I think "Kennedy Center - GMU" would make more sense than Foggy Bottom. Again.. because of tourists. It makes more sense to name the stations based on their nearest important landmark. It makes the system easier to navigate and its good for locals because we have less confused tourists to deal with.
I don't think a lot of tourists head to the Kennedy Center. That's something I think locals visit more. Also, adding Kennedy Center gives false sense that Kennedy Center is going to great you when you reach the top. Instead, it's quite a distance away and reachable only by navigating highway ramps and limited sidewalk access. I think Foggy Bottom is the perfect name. I also think that most stops DO serve those who use the system everyday, so the names should make sense to them.
 #1376992  by Chris Brown
 
JDC wrote:
Chris Brown wrote:Honestly I would replace the Smithsonian name with "National Mall" with "Smithsonian" in small letters. The reason I would do this is because the Smithsonian stop is really more for tourists than anyone else. While people coming from all over the country and the world will know what "national mall" means.. they may not know what "Smithsonian" means. So, the stop should really just be called "National Mall".

For Foggy Bottom.. I think "Kennedy Center - GMU" would make more sense than Foggy Bottom. Again.. because of tourists. It makes more sense to name the stations based on their nearest important landmark. It makes the system easier to navigate and its good for locals because we have less confused tourists to deal with.
I don't think a lot of tourists head to the Kennedy Center. That's something I think locals visit more. Also, adding Kennedy Center gives false sense that Kennedy Center is going to great you when you reach the top. Instead, it's quite a distance away and reachable only by navigating highway ramps and limited sidewalk access. I think Foggy Bottom is the perfect name. I also think that most stops DO serve those who use the system everyday, so the names should make sense to them.
Fair point about Kennedy Center. Can't really argue . However, the stop names are not for the locals. As a local you already know where you're going so the name of the stop doesn't mean anything. The names are for tourists and new comers to be able to navigate the system.

For instance, I ride metro every day. I get off at Dupont Circle every day. So if they changed the name to "Spider Man Donuts" it won't make a difference to me because I already know where I'm going.
 #1376993  by JDC
 
Chris Brown wrote:
JDC wrote:
Chris Brown wrote:Honestly I would replace the Smithsonian name with "National Mall" with "Smithsonian" in small letters. The reason I would do this is because the Smithsonian stop is really more for tourists than anyone else. While people coming from all over the country and the world will know what "national mall" means.. they may not know what "Smithsonian" means. So, the stop should really just be called "National Mall".

For Foggy Bottom.. I think "Kennedy Center - GMU" would make more sense than Foggy Bottom. Again.. because of tourists. It makes more sense to name the stations based on their nearest important landmark. It makes the system easier to navigate and its good for locals because we have less confused tourists to deal with.
I don't think a lot of tourists head to the Kennedy Center. That's something I think locals visit more. Also, adding Kennedy Center gives false sense that Kennedy Center is going to great you when you reach the top. Instead, it's quite a distance away and reachable only by navigating highway ramps and limited sidewalk access. I think Foggy Bottom is the perfect name. I also think that most stops DO serve those who use the system everyday, so the names should make sense to them.
Fair point about Kennedy Center. Can't really argue . However, the stop names are not for the locals. As a local you already know where you're going so the name of the stop doesn't mean anything. The names are for tourists and new comers to be able to navigate the system.

For instance, I ride metro every day. I get off at Dupont Circle every day. So if they changed the name to "Spider Man Donuts" it won't make a difference to me because I already know where I'm going.

True. But I ride the Metro to many places I have never been before. For instance, I had never been to U Street until friends moved there. All they had to say was "take the Yellow/Green line to U Street". I bet a lot of locals ride Metro to places they have never been before, and having names make sense to us locals matters, if not more than mattering to tourists (IMO).
 #1377044  by Chris Brown
 
JDC wrote: True. But I ride the Metro to many places I have never been before. For instance, I had never been to U Street until friends moved there. All they had to say was "take the Yellow/Green line to U Street". I bet a lot of locals ride Metro to places they have never been before, and having names make sense to us locals matters, if not more than mattering to tourists (IMO).
I can't imagine having names that make sense to tourists and not to locals. If a name is not confusing to a tourist, why would it be confusing to a local?
 #1377243  by tommyboy6181
 
I definitely agree with the name change for Smithsonian as it is right on the National Mall. Foggy Bottom on the other hand is at least 4-6 blocks from the Kennedy Center and it seems to be out of the way when looking at the location on Google Maps. I'd go with no on the name change there.
 #1380518  by JDC
 
I just got an email update from Amplify that the customer service committee is going to recommend BOTH name changes to the full Board. It notes that there was discussion of various points, including making clear the distance/time from various Metro stations to sites on the national mall. Not sure whether that means any changes to the maps/in-station maps, so we'll see.
 #1380542  by afiggatt
 
I think both station name changes are poor ideas, will confuse tourists more than they help, and should have been rejected. Especially adding Kennedy Center to Foggy Bottom-GWU since Kennedy Center is not exactly close to the station. However, according to the WAMU article linked to below, the request from the ANC and Kennedy Center overrode the tepid 26% positive public response.

WAMU: 'National Mall' And 'Kennedy Center' To Be Added To Names Of Metro Stations

But "The changes will go into effect immediately on station pylons and online graphics, but Metro will not change its system maps to reflect the new names until Phase II of the Silver Line opens to Dulles Airport in 2020." So there will be a 3 to 4 year period with the expanded names on a few places, but not on the maps every where else. Sure, that won't confuse some visitors.
 #1380562  by Chris Brown
 
afiggatt wrote:I think both station name changes are poor ideas, will confuse tourists more than they help, and should have been rejected. Especially adding Kennedy Center to Foggy Bottom-GWU since Kennedy Center is not exactly close to the station. However, according to the WAMU article linked to below, the request from the ANC and Kennedy Center overrode the tepid 26% positive public response.

WAMU: 'National Mall' And 'Kennedy Center' To Be Added To Names Of Metro Stations

But "The changes will go into effect immediately on station pylons and online graphics, but Metro will not change its system maps to reflect the new names until Phase II of the Silver Line opens to Dulles Airport in 2020." So there will be a 3 to 4 year period with the expanded names on a few places, but not on the maps every where else. Sure, that won't confuse some visitors.
How will the "National Mall" name be confusing to tourists? Maybe if they lack brain cells.

As for Kennedy Center... at least it gets you close to it. There are several other WMATA stops named after landmarks/areas that are not very close by. George Mason for instance is not very close to the Metro stop named after it. Same with Tenleytown-AU and even Woodley Park Zoo to some extent.
 #1380606  by talltim
 
As a foreigner I've never heard of the National Mall, but the Smithonian is quite well known.
Edit having had a quick google, I realise I do know the National Mall, but didn't know it was called that. I was thinking of some sort of shopping centre...
 #1380617  by Sand Box John
 
"talltim"
As a foreigner I've never heard of the National Mall, but the Smithonian is quite well known.
Edit having had a quick google, I realise I do know the National Mall, but didn't know it was called that. I was thinking of some sort of shopping centre...


It was called The National Mall long before indoor shopping centers were dubbed malls. New York's Central Park also has a mall.